Chapter 54

Chapter 3 begins.

I had always thought that the events in the news were mostly unrelated to me.

Murders, political corruption, major disasters, and wars.

I understood rationally that they existed in reality, but instinctively, they seemed like events from a fairy tale.

However, as they actually existed, it wouldn't have been strange for a day to come when I couldn't remain uninvolved.

Those few days were a time when I keenly felt this.

In those few days, I had stepped into the world on the other side of the TV.

A black dungeon had appeared at the summit of Mount Ikoma.

It had already caused a commotion.

Since the place wasn't far from the Moon Shin High School I attended, the school had been temporarily closed.

Even if the classes had continued as usual, I wouldn't have been able to attend.

For the whole day, I and Hime were ordered to wait in a restaurant near the flying tower in the temporarily closed Ikoma Mountain Upper Park, at the request of the government.

Of course, I was on standby while wearing the transformation hero mask.

As a military weapon of the United States that had saved people from the monsters overflowing from Mount Fuji.

And the next day.

"Yesterday was quite a day. I never thought that the black dungeon would appear right there."

"But the government says it's not a problem for now, right?"

"That's naive, Mizuno. The government can't possibly disclose all the information. They must be conducting investigations in places we don't know about. I saw on social media that the Ikoma Mountain Upper Park is still closed and there are restrictions on entering Mount Ikoma."

Aoki and Mizuno were talking like this around my desk.

The truth is, even if they wanted to disclose the information, they couldn't.

No one could enter the black dungeon that had appeared on Mount Ikoma.

Moreover, similar dungeons had appeared not only on Mount Ikoma but all over the world.

And they had appeared in places related to entertainment, such as theme parks, baseball fields, and shopping malls with movie theaters.

Then, Dampul sent messages to countries around the world.

The dungeons created this time were for use in a game, so there was no need to be particularly vigilant now.

No monsters would overflow from the dungeons.

That was the gist of it.

When I confirmed with Dampun, Dampul was not the type to lie to deceive.

If they said there was no need to be vigilant now, it was true.

For that reason, the standby order for us was lifted.

However, if the need for vigilance arose, we would undoubtedly be mobilized again.

I need to get a bit stronger before that happens.

I looked at Mizuno.

More precisely, at her head.

It was black.

She must have used hair dye.

She is an awakened blacksmith.

The most needed member of our party.

However, she refuses to become a blacksmith.

For the obvious reason that she doesn't want to risk her life.

I had stepped into the world on the other side of the TV, but she hadn't.

She has the right to enjoy a normal daily life.

I thought about inviting her, even just to talk, but at that time, Mizuno told me.

She was afraid of raising expectations and then disappointing them.

That's why she was hiding the fact that she was an awakened person.

There was no way I could invite someone like her.

"Hey, Ichino. Are you okay? You look like you're wearing a hundred faces."

"Sorry. I'm a bit tired."

I said to Aoki and laid my head on the desk.

Well, I'll think about it slowly.

I thought.

I'll try to level up in PD to change my mood.

I was thinking that when—

"Taira! I have a request!"

As soon as I got home and went to PD, Dampun said that to me.

But I wasn't unprepared.

"I brought it. Today it's Sh〇reise's butter dorayaki."

"That's not what I mean."

"What, not a snack? Then I'll eat this—"

"That's one thing, this is another!"

Dampun used telekinesis to snatch the butter dorayaki.

Well, I bought it for Dampun in the first place, so it's fine.

"So, what's the request? I'm not a dragon, so I can't bring the dead back to life or give you a girl's panties."

"I don't understand what you're saying. I just want to create a new dungeon and need you to help me think of a location."

...Is that something a normal high school student should be thinking about?